Mooring means for airships



OctB, 1928. 1,686,806

R. P. FOX

MOORING MEANS FOR AIRSHIPS Original Filed March G, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR MMM ATTORNEY Oct. 9, 1928.

R. P. FOX

MOORING-MEANS FOR AIRSHIPS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed March 6. 1926,NN/w.

ATTORNEY zw/Mi O Oct. 9 1928. 1,686,806

R. P. Fox

MOOYRING MEANS FOR AIRSHIPS original Filed March 6. 1926 s sheets-sheet`s INVENTOR lit) Patented Oct. 9, 11928.

AUNITED ,STATES RALPH P. rox, oF HABRISBRG, PENNsirnviipii infA MooRrNGiiifnixiisl non 'nIRsHIPs Original application filed March 6, 1926,Serial No.` 92,821. vDivided and this-application filed ugust 10,

was.i Serial Nb. 193,436.

The object of this invention is to provide particular mean-s formooringan airship of the dirigible type to a mast or 'pluralityofmasts,'-this case constituting a division'of my application for patentliledMarch v6, 19526,y

Serial No. 92,827. Y

A. further object is to provide, in connection with a mast to whichthejnose. portion of the vessel may lbe secured, a second mast sopositioned that it vmay be engaged by a cable extendingl from l.eitherside of the air craft, n at a point forwardly ofthe stern, and furtherVto provide an intermediate structure by means y of which access may beobtained to the inte rior of the ship, when inooiedin the mannerindicated.

A further object plurality of cables extending frontiv windingN deviceswithin the. structure to points on theV to be carried ,byV the aircraft,- other cables to' which the cables tirstnamed are adapted' to beconnected, the second named cables' extendingupwardly thru thelinastsand over pulleys or thelike at the top of each mast, 'thelower ends ofthe second named cables being accessible from the ground, these cablesbeing* n yillustrated at 13,*and the 'sternstructure 14:'` 'carryingpayed out, asoccasion may require in con-v nection withl 'themooringloperation, or lin connection with thefrelease of the`vess'el.- `With theforegoing anda-other objects in view, the inventioncoiisists in the.novel con#r struction and arrangement of elements de-r` scribed,illustrated and claimed., it being unfy derstood that .modifications maybe made within the scope of the 4claims witliout depart-r t ing from thespirit ofthe invention. .Y

In-the drawings forming part offthis application,` y `1 f Figure 1 isa'view of ythe complete structure so far as the stationary elements areconcerned, the Yair craft being :shown .somewhat conventionally, but thelatter being, of the general type illustrated in the applic-ation abovereferred to. Figure 2 is a plan view is t0 provide, in connection'` withmooring means for the nose portion, a

` mooring or Yreleasing operations.

v y ofthe ground.A "ofthe structure of; Figure 1, andshowing especiallytheuse ofVK the rear mooring cable at each side ofthe'ma' chine, so thatconnectionmaybe'vetlectil with a rear mooring mast,it being assumedrthat .ence to the mast on either side thereof, ascii'-A cumstancesmaydetermine.` n

Figure 3 is 'a view in elevation, with a porthe vessel `may come intopositionwith refer-v tion in vertical section', showing the forward;r

vportion of the machine.y f v." Figure 4 is a vertical transversesection on 'line of F igurie 2', showing especially the relativeposition ofthe rear 'mooring' cables.. lFigure 5 isa detail-invs'e'ctiom showing one of the drums on which thej cables are to be"wound, lthe drums being controlled 'in art by ratchet mechanism at oneend,ai1d a band brake at the other end thereof: 1,

Figure 6 is a' section on line ovfFig'ure k5, this' view showing theratchet I'I'iechanisn1,l

including a Weightedlpawl adapted 'to bere-l f tained in operative orinoperative positionin view ofthe positionof the Weight andthe point ofpivotal mounting ofthe pawlror ball'. f Figure 7 shows the lband brake,and the View, constitutes-asection on line 7-7 of Figure 5.

VFigure 8 is adetail view showing one-,of the Pulleys .over Whihrhecahier@ @ab ma Passes the Pulley being Carried by a swiveiea c bracketincluding av central tubular portion,

Figure k9`is asejction" on line 99 of Figure 8'.`

,The main portion of the'. machine mamies the structure 10',`and thesuspended keel andv gondola structure 11 andlQ, propellersbeingverticalV blade `i5 andv horizontal blade or? elevator 16. y

Ay forward mooring-mast is designated 18 a platform QOsuriounde'd',by arailing 21, forv thegprotection of, those assisting inthe Carriedbyea'cli mast i's a swiveled bracke,t 23 including a tubular portionnll,the bracket being mounted in ball bearings as i'ndicated' .atl 25, and aflanged annular element 26 serving to retain the bracket in aA Vpositioncentrally of The cable asses over upper pulleywheelj. v29.1n'cn'int'edin bracket'23, and has connection with` a hook or other lengagingdevice'4 30 and inclf'udesa main structure, a base 19, andv CTI ' tionofy heavy constructiony and illustrated at 49, Channelfelenients orcurved. tubes() itisso positionedv that foi-Van aircraftof a V,f:,'iven'siZe, the vessel Awill, when moored at the nose portion in theinannerindicated in Figure V,lvcoiiies `to rest, oi:v lbe `brought toanchoring1 position alongside of inast'BS, the latter beingforwardly,of` the stern and rudder construction, so that danger of.injury to the Alatter ii'iay be avoided. s f

.Betiveenvtheforward and rear ,inasts is a stationaiyfstructureincluding a platform lO,

a supporting portion el, andan inclined portion 42, this structure asl awhole affording f access to a main door 44 servingas an entrance to theinterior of the aircraft. v

,Ain-.important feature is vthat a plurality of reaij'inooring cablestfand il? are, providel,v there being but'one rear inooiiiigll anast,yandeither cable i6 or t7 inay bey brought into use, as circumstances mayder,

termine.. These cables 46. and 4?' are each provided with a heavyringsuch as 48 at the" outer end, and thecables 33, A16, and l? eachpass thru a cable guiding element or eye poraiid 51 Vextend around ythesides of the lower portion of the, structure l0, and protect theycablesj 46 and 47 yfrom ,injury, and these cables are controlledv bywinding and paying out devicesv of'a type similar to that cinploycd forthe forward mooring cable V The cables on i6 47 ina f be wound onli 1 Yl 7 7 f J1. L diiuin oit the type shown in fr igure han d'elsewhere, thedrinn 55 being' rigid withv shaft brake wheel is shown at, 67,. and thepaying out ofthe cable may be ,controlled in an ob-,

or axle56'operated by meai'is of or thru gear whee1 Y I Cooperating withbracket wheel V59 yrigid with axle 56 is a dog 60, pivoted 'at' 6l, and

a Crank 57,

weighted as shown -at 62so that the dogg-will b 'eretained eitherinengagingposition, as indicated in full lines in Figui-'e 6, or inrelease position as shown in dotted line in Figure 6, astop 63 servingan obvious purpose..

"killllien vthe dog or pawl 60 is thrown out, andparticularmaneuveringis resorted to, in

effecting a proper positie-inthe brake of llig-v ures'5 and 7 may bemade use of, this brake including a rband 64 tightenedl by means ofelement 65 connected withtlieends of the bandand controlled by handlever 66. lfhe vious manner. e

provided for,

`ll7h'en mooring the vessel, the cable will be released, and allowed-topay by the weight of the heavy ring 32, and the accuinulated `weight ofthe'suspended cable as the drum vunwinds, and "the cable carried by themastinay be released from a cleat or the like shown at 28, and the upperend of the cable A28Y allowed ,tov drop vdownwardlye to va point at or'nearuthe `surface of the ground, so that connection mayl be leffectedbetween hook 30 and ring rl-he cablesinay then beinanipulatedl asrequired, in order to secrirelhe,

vessel in abouttheposition of Figure l. j

` Having described theinvention what isA f V 1 S0 l. In a device of theclass described,a cavble for mooring an air craft, devices for winding,retaining and releasing the cable,-

and a channeled guardniounted on. and exi tending partlyparound the hullof the; craft,

the cabley passing thru the guard and being protected thercbl @.In adevice of the 'classdescribed,a cable for mooring ariair.` craft,anapertured element on the lhullof the craftthi'u which` the cablepasses, a channeled guard extending from th-e apertured element to a.point jon the lower side of the hull, andrdevices for.

winding andretaining fthe cable.V

3. In a device of the class.- described,.a `caq ble Ior mooring anaircraft, an apertured SJ ii element on the hull ofthe craft thruvwhichU he cable passes, a channeled guard extending` fromtheapcrturedelement toa point onthe lower side of the hull, and devicesfor winding and retaining `the-cable, theretainingdevice including y agravity controlled .dog and Va toothed dcvice,ythedog maintaining an4position v,with yreference Y engaging Vor release to the toothedrdevice, i s

1 e., lin a deviceof the class describechfa plu-i ralityof cables 'forretaining an air craft 'oneE of the cables beinglooselyconnected-withtlie nose portion ofthe craft, retaining ineansafor`this cable, and devices for mounting and retaining the other cableandeffecting engage-V ment :with the, craft, partlyaround the hull .l i

thereofand between vthe side and thelower forward of, the sternIthereof.-

portionrof the hull of the craft,- at apoiiit 5. In a device of theclassl described, aplurality of 'cablesy for retaining an air craft-,1oncof'the cables being` loosely connected with the,V nose portion of thecraft, retaining means for' i this cable, and, devices for mounting andre# taining the other cables on opposite sides ofL the lower portion ofthe hull of ythe craft, at a point forward of the stern thereof, andchanneled devices for protecting thecables, these devices last namedextending partly'around the surface of the hull ybeing secured thereto.

l6. The combination of a plurality ofmastsv ,i

for an air craft, cables connected respectively with the nose portion ofltliecraft ,and the'` lower portion ofthe hullon opposite sidesl thereofand forwardly of the stern, the cables last named being adaptedrespectively for connection with one of the vmasts on either sidethereof when tlie cable at the nose por tion is connected with the othermast.

7. The coinpination of a'plurality of masts `for mooring an air Craft,cablesfextending downwardly tliru tlie 1nasts,-1nea'ns for securing thecables at the base of the masts, cables carried by the craft, at thenose portion thereof and on opposite sides of the liull forwardly of thestern,` and means for winding, retaining, and releasing thecables lastnamed, these cables being adapted for detachable connection with thecables first named.

8. Tlie cmbinationof a plurality of mastsV i for mooring an air craft,tubular swiveled cable 'guiding means eacli including a pulley wheel,carried by the masts, cables extending downwardly thru the masts, meansfor securing thecables at the base of the masts, cables carried by thecraft, at the nose portion thereof and on opposite sides of thehullforwardly v of the stern, andmeans forl winding, retaining, Vandreleasing the cables lastnamed, these cables-being adapted fordetachable connection witlithe cables first named. v

I In testimony whereof I 'affix my signature.

RALPHP. Fox.

